Activation
by The Jordanator
Summary: A scientist is having the most greatest day of his life, the activation of a 15-year old project named GLaDOS. But then everything goes terribly wrong. (Has been reviewed by Dr Phillip Smith)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey, this is my first Portal fanfiction. Please review!**

Today is one of the greatest days in history.

My mind flashes back to when I kissed my wife and beloved 9-year old daughter goodbye, who pleaded for me to video the whole operation which I agreed too.

Now I stand here with my video camera inside the main chamber, the octagon shaped room which beheld the 15 year project. If he were here, Cave Johnson would be proud.

Today was the day we activate GLaDOS for the first time.

The Generated Life-form and Disk Operating System as her name stood for would advance science forward, more than we would expect her too. This was exciting, as we didn't know what would happen when she was activated, but hopefully, she would start constructing and conducting the tests. Fellow scientists milled around, making checks and completing little jobs that would build up to the big moment. I heard a beeping sound behind me and a forklift rolled by, carrying a core. Apparently, this was the Morality Core which would be the final addition to the other 2 cores on GLaDOS' Body, the Curiosity Core and the Cake Core. But now I'm not sure. The "Morality core" looked agitated and furious, it's eye rolled around in frantic anger. Oh well, not my department.

I scanned around the chamber with the camera, and up above I spotted a test subject in the main control system for GLaDOS. _What is she doing up there? Isn't she supposed to be testing?_ Again, not my department.

My department is actually the research and applications to the connections between GLaDOS and the facility. Mostly, I made the connections with the crushers and the –

"MATTHEWS!" My boss barked through the Mega-phone.

"Yes Sir?"

"What are you doing just standing there?"

"Uh, I'm videoing the whole operation for back-up material and personal resources…sir."

Phil snorted then shook his head with dismissal.

"Whatever then."

I continued videoing the lifeless chassis in front of me with eagerness. The forklift meanwhile had lifted the Core and they were inserting it into her body. This would apparently with the other cores contribute to the personality of GLaDOS, and with the Morality Core, she would be a great asset to the enrichment center, especially when advancing science forward.

I can't wait!

Finally, the last core was inserted and Phil walked off from the glass-ringed platform directly underneath GLaDOS. This is it.

Phil spotted Zoa who apparently was the name of the testing subject in the control room. He called out to her.

"HEY, YOU! WE ARE READY! TURN THE SWITCH ON!"

This is it. I focused the camera into the control room as Zoa turned around and fiddled with a switch. Here we go. A loud click sounded and the 12 TV Screens in the room flickered on and flashed different pictures at rapid speed. A rumbling sound occurred and the main chamber shook. An Earthquake? The room's blue glow changed into an infra-red purple before repeating the same process. GLaDOS started to rock slightly back and forth. Then the room returned to normal. And then she spoke.

_"__Hello…hello…hello and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer-aided enrichment center."_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for reading! This isn't my best one so forgive me of how sloppy this is. Do review anyway, there is more coming! :)**

We all erupted into applause and cheering. We did it. We made science!

"Guys it worked!" my boss announced, "GLaDOS is alive!"

_"__Of course I am."_

We stopped and stared in awe. _Did she just say…?_

"Wow!" Phil noted, "She seems to understand our speech communications without computed assistance.

Another scientist weighed in; "It sure is a triumph to me!"

A cluster of agreements arose and the next thing that was heard was the sound of celebration music.

_"__What is this sound playing through the Aperture Science Radio Transmitter? This music doesn't suit the upcoming event."_

What? My boss frowned as I videoed the scene.

"What do you mean?"

_"__In connection to the entire facility, practically everything."_

Phil gave me a sideways glance; he knows that I work in that department. If something happens…

Suddenly the music stopped, only to be replaced by a rhythmic Heart-beating sound.

_"__Ah, here is a more…suitable sound for the occasion." _Said GLaDOS.

Uh-oh. I recognize this music; it is from the Aperture Science Action Music Playlist. GLaDOS is about to do something radical. I take a careful step backwards, closer to the exit. My boss put his hands on his hips in confusion as he stared at GLaDOS. The other scientists kept staring at her.

_"__This is a triumph. It is a huge success. It is hard to overstate my satisfaction. But, there I have experiments to run, research to be done."_

Her last words hit me with shocking adrenaline.

_"__Now, goodbye."_

My boss screamed; "EVERYONE GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

We didn't need any more prompting; we all floored it to the exit.

_"__THAT HAS GOT TO BE THE DUMBEST THING OF ALL Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, woooooooooah."_

Sonic trackers started to ominously follow the scientists running to the exit door. And then they burst into flames! The scientists were on fire! The screams and shouts were devastating and chaotic. An alarm bell started which added to the frenzy. Even worse, GLaDOS kept speaking.

"_Starting from now there is going to be a lot less talking and a lot…more…killing!"_


	3. Chapter 3

I looked down to see that _I _was on fire too! I instantaneously dropped to the floor and rolled backwards and forwards in an attempt to stop the fire. And luckily, it did. I then gapped it out of the main chamber and ran for my life. Alarms blared in distress as I sprint deeper into the enrichment center, pushing my way through doors and hallways, rushing past confused and distressed workers as they frantically but pathetically ran around in circles (as was part of their protocol). But I was going against it. I came into the back rooms which held pistons, pillars, panels, pipes and all sorts of things like that. After about 5 minutes of running, I came to a door marked '_Personality Core Storage_' and pushed it open.

I was surprised to see a figure in the room. It was Zoa. She gasped and dropped whatever she was holding, eyes widened like she was a small child being caught in the act of stealing cookies.

"What are you doing here?" I asked sternly.

She whimpered, "I was just…well I thought that these talking ball thingies…"

"Personality Cores." I corrected her.

"Yeah those and I thought that _she_ would need an um…good core."

She looked so distressed and worried, not knowing what she was exactly looking for. So hopeless…

"Look, this is not my department but I know more than you do to know that a Morality Core is needed to control GLaDOS from any more mayhem. We need to find it and bring it back to the main chamber so we can attach it to her."

She frowned, "Won't she kill us?"

"On the probability scale, I would say most definitely."

She pursed her lips and looked at the floor.

"Let's make a start." I said.

We both went through boxes and tubes of cores, some of them active, others dead or just failed. After a while, Zoa pulled out a core from a wooden crate.

"Is this it?"

The core had a yellow eye which rolled around and constantly widened and narrowed.

"Space, space, go to space." It muttered.

I frowned and shook my head.

"That is a..."

"SPACE!"

"…Space core. It wouldn't be helpful; it would only corrupt her system."

She placed the excited core on top of the box and kept searching while it blabbered about how great space was. More searching followed and then she held up another core, this time it had a purple eye and kept repeating rules and regulations such as: "Clean your room" and "Eat your dinner". This was it, it had to be.

"I think that is it Zoa, good work!" I said.

"Now for the hard part…" she murmured.

I nodded. The next stage was either going to kill us or make us heroes. Either way, it won't be easy, especially with an insane life-form controlling the facility. We walked out of the room and made our way through the maze of doors, pistons and pipes until we finally came to a door which separated us from the point of no return, where _she_ would be able to detect us.

"Here we go, you're ready?" I asked.

Zoa nodded, "Yes."

I opened the door and we bolted toward the main chamber. Alarms were still blaring but everyone seemed to be dead, burnt to a crisp. We both battled our way through slumped bodies and crackling fires until we came to the windowed tunnel – the gateway to GLaDOS. I noticed another door to our right closed but led to…

"Go to her now." I said, an idea hatching in my head, "I'll be with you soon and I think we can stop her."

Zoa looked scared but she nodded and trekked down the tunnel.

I turned and sprinted for the door which revealed another back room, but much easier to navigate. After climbing a staircase, I came to a door and opened it to reveal where I first saw Zoa.

The Main Control Room for GLaDOS.

The whole wall was torn apart so I saw the scene down below in the main chamber. GLaDOS didn't seem to detect her at all, which was miraculous. I saw a large button on the wall which boldly said: GLaDOS EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN.

I smashed it with my fist.

Suddenly, the alarms died and GLaDOS hung lifeless from her chassis.

"That should do it!" I yelled.

But I had spoken too soon. GLaDOS emitted a strange noise, which I realized was an evil snicker.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review my first Portal fanfic. I should have more coming soon but it will take a while.**

"_Congratulations. You just worked out how to shut me down. You chose this path and now I have a surprise for you. Deploying surprise in 5...4…"_

Suddenly, a green gas billowed into the main chamber. There was no doubt what it was, and apparently it had less than 5 minutes to do what it was meant to do.

The Neurotoxin continued to fill the room.

GLaDOS talked menacingly; _"Your life is a mathematical error – a mathematical error I'm about to correct!"_

I panicked. The shutdown button was a trap! What is going on? I have to get Zoa to attach that core onto her! I could see her down there, coughing and spluttering in the toxin. Her eye met mine, wild and desperate. But after a few seconds, it turned to fierce determination. She stumbled toward the glass platform underneath GLaDOS. I glanced at the countdown clock. 4 minutes. I need a face mask. I turned and ran out of the room; the medical room I knew wasn't too far away. But time was running out, I had to get there now! I came into the reception office where bodies lay slumped while Neurotoxin billowed out of air vents, confirming their deaths. I covered my face and crawled to a door on the side. The medical room. Blindingly, I staggered in and opened a cupboard on my left where face masks lay on the top shelf. I grabbed them and looked at my watch. 1 and half minutes to go. I grabbed a bundle and sprinted out and toward the main chamber. As I ran, I could feel the time slipping away and even worse, the neurotoxin reaching Zoa's brain. It was painful trying to run as faster than I could go but I eventually made it into the lobby which acted as the entrance to the main chamber.

And there she was.

Zoa staggered up onto the glass platform as GLaDOS was murmuring about how she was going to die very soon.

_"__Ok do whatever you think you're doing. Surviving? Is that your goal? Well it's going to fail very soon. And I mean VERY SOON."_

I looked wide-eyed at the scene. I noticed my camera on the floor and I picked it up and quickly pressed RECORD.

The last few seconds were critical. Zoa who was weakened but determined raised the core high in the air. Her presence was triumphant, and at the last possible moment, when the countdown was at the final 3 seconds and GLaDOS's single glowing eye seemed to widen, she struck the core down onto her body.

And all went quiet.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry, I haven't updated this in a while, but I have chapter 5 here and ready for you. Enjoy. :)**

GLaDOS immediately stopped talking and stopped her slight swinging. The neurotoxin deactivated. It seemed so eerie. Zoa backed away from GLaDOS steadily. I trembled. What's going to happen now? Did we save Aperture?

"_What is this thing you have put on me? What have you done?" _GLaDOS murmured. _"You think you're a hero, don't…"_

Then GLaDOS simply turned off, as if someone had pushed her on/off button.

"We've got her under control!" Came the voice of Phil Johnson, although he wasn't here. I looked up and saw him talk into an intercom in GLaDOS's main control room. I was never so glad to see another person. "I've shut her down for now, so she won't be threatening us anymore. We need to – aaaaaaarrrrggghhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Both Zoa and I stood in a shocked trance as a rocket turret suddenly activated in the control room. The panel which enclosed the room from the main chamber silently slid shut, even as my boss was dying in the room. I ran towards him, but then another rocket turret appeared in front of me. I let out a strangled cry and ran to Zoa, who stood speechless on the glass platform underneath GLaDOS. I barely had time to register that GLaDOS had started her slow swinging, even though she was shutdown. I grabbed Zoa and sprinted toward the chamber's exit.

"_Not so fast."_

Before we could understand who that voice belonged to, an Aperture Science Multi-tasking arm scooped Zoa up, barely missing me.

"HELP!" Zoa screamed, as GLaDOS swung more rapidly. Then the neurotoxin started and I knew she wouldn't make it. The countdown timer read five minutes. I could only do one thing.

I ran.


	6. Chapter 6

It wouldn't be long until GLaDOS reactivated the neurotoxin, so I needed to find some masks. I willed myself to go faster, I knew that every second Zoa was with GLaDOS, the more likely she would be dead. This was critical, and I did not want to panic. I ran out of the chamber tunnel entrance and opened a door to the right, which led to a small office. Regulations required every employee at Aperture to have a mask at easy reach in the unlikely event of a neurotoxin outbreak. Of course, the unlikeliness had suddenly become a lot more likely. I ripped open a desk drawer and found a couple of masks. _Perfect._

I grabbed them and vaulted back the way I came. A terrible thought entered my mind as I entered the tunnel to the main chamber. _What has GLaDOS done with Zoa?_ I assumed the worst. As I nearly came to the main chamber, something leapt at me. I screamed, but my mouth was instantly smothered.

"Get down!" Phil hissed.

I stared at him in shock. He was still alive! A moment ago, he was dying from a rocket turret. I tried to speak but my boss just kept his hand on my mouth.

"I'm going to make a truce with her." Phil murmured. "I need you to stay here and not do a thing. That's an order."

I nodded, but I knew the plan wouldn't work. A mere human against a super-intelligent, super-computer with super-powerful-weapons would not survive. But Phil thought he could do it.

"Hey!" He yelled to GLaDOS. "Why are you doing this to us? We did noth…"

Those were my boss's last words. I couldn't bear to describe what happened next, partially because I was blinded by the sudden light. The scariest thing though, was how GLaDOS did not say one word, even as Phil died right in front of me. When then the light ceased, I saw Zoa lying to the side of the chamber, her eyes partially open, slightly moving her arm. She was still alive. Still alive. GLaDOS had not killed her yet. But the neurotoxin was pouring into the chamber. Zoa was dying. And that moved me to action.

Putting on my mask, I ran toward Zoa. I didn't think about how GLaDOS could kill me at any second, like what happened to my boss. The rocket turret had disappeared. But I saw the countdown timer had reached its endpoint. _I might be too late._ My fears grew as a very still Zoa lay helpless on the ground. I got to her and I shook her.

"C'mon!" I whispered.

Her heart was beating. She was alive, but unconscious. I needed to get her out of her fast. I put the other mask on her face and dragged her back. Meanwhile, GLaDOS was swinging ever so gently, like a satisfied lion after feasting on prey. She didn't notice us. We were nearly out of the chamber when my legs buckled. My arms suddenly felt like jelly and I knew what was happening. Combined with neurotoxin substances, my rapid decrease of adrenaline is making my body shut down. It's killing me. I hauled Zoa with all my effort, and then I collapsed before the main tunnel entrance. Before that happened, Zoa's eyes opened and she stared right into my face, the look that expressed _thank you._ As I hit the ground, the last view of I had was her gaze turned to GLaDOS – the mass killer and psychopath. My eyes felt heavy. Sleep sounded very good right now. My life flashed itself before my eyes – the day I was married, the day I was employeed at Aperture, the day my little girl was born. _And I'm going to leave it all. _Then I thought another thought. GLaDOS is in charge of the entire facility, Aperture is in her control. _What will she do with the test subjects?_ I knew she'd eventually kill them all, as the maniac she is. But what was most horrifying was the justification.

_It was for science._

I heard a shuffle as Zoa started to get up. She saw me, she tried to wake me up.

But she couldn't. It was too late.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey guys, last chapter for my first portal fanfic! Review if you like, its a bit sad I know.**

I shifted every ounce of weight I had out of the facility. As if completing a series of near deathly test chambers wasn't enough for me to collapse in exhaustion. I'd come a long way. First, completing multiple testing chambers. Second, being shown a new project that had gone horribly wrong. Third, being beaten and thrown by this project and nearly dying. Only minutes earlier, I had got up from unconsciousness and left behind a dead scientist, one who became my only true friend in this place of torture. I was ready to leave.

It took me ages but I came to the outside foyer. Slow, painful step after slow, painful step, I made it outside. The poisonous gas that supercomputer turned on was majorly affecting my system. I could feel my brain numbing, my body shutting down like one of those turrets after being overturned. It was pelting down with rain, but I cared little as it drenched my body. It actually felt good. So comfortable. I can't wait to take a nap.

And then I collapsed. I hardly noticed the pain of my body landing on the rough concrete. I guessed it was the poison gas destroying my nervous system. I needed urgent medical attention. My weary eyes saw the entrance barrier office with the title APERTURE LABORATORIES proudly displayed on the top. I looked harder and spotted the silhouette of a person inside.

"H-help." I croaked.

But the man didn't move.

I shifted my head back towards the main entrance of Aperture Laboratories. Abandoned, sabotaged, overruled.

So sleepy…

And as my eyes closed, I began to see myself going to see my dead parents, Mom and Dad.

So peaceful.

The End.


End file.
